Ravens wrap up three-day draft with nine players and a couple of questions

Baltimore Sun | May 11

When the three-day draft ended and the Ravens had made the last of their nine selections, there was just as much talk about what needs they didn't address as those they did.

Despite saying there is a wide receiver the Ravens could take in every round, general manager Ozzie Newsome didn't select one with any of his original eight picks, though the team did trade for a seventh-round pick and select local product Michael Campanaro (River Hill).

Despite the perception that offensive tackle was their biggest need, the Ravens drafted a guard-center in the fifth round but no tackles. And despite having only four cornerbacks on the roster, the Ravens ignored the position.

Instead, the Ravens didn't overreact and stuck to their board, continuing to strengthen the middle of the defense while adding depth at key offensive spots.

"We are excited," said assistant general manager Eric DeCosta. "You never know what kind of shape the draft is going to take. We go into it blind. This just ended up being a draft about substance. We got guys that are going to be here for a long time that are going to help us win games."

The Ravens' first pick on Day 3 was Virginia defensive end Brent Urban, whom they considered taking in the second round but were happy to see on the board in the fourth.

They used their final five selections on offensive players: Coastal Carolina running back Lorenzo Taliaferro (fourth round), Penn State guard-center John Urschel (fifth), Ball State quarterback Keith Wenning (sixth) and Wake Forest's Campanaro in the seventh. The Ravens, intent on getting a wide receiver in the draft, acquired that final pick from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2015 sixth-round selection.

Four of their first five picks were defensive players and the final five were offensive players.